Words of the Week (2005) 03

Whenever I read, I keep a pencil handy and I underline words that I don't know and dog ear the page so that I can go back and look them up in the dictionary. I have always been interested in etymology and even took Latin for three years. I hope that these words can help all of us in our writings. Be sure to check out your dictionary for additional usages of the words and spellings associated with changing the word from adjective to adverb to noun ... etc.

ASSUASIVEadjective

Pronounced: aw-SWAY-siv

Meaning: Having a pleasantly soothing quality or effect; calming.

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BALLYHOOEDverb

Pronounced: BAL-lee-hooed

Meaning: Drummed up interest in by means of exaggerated, flamboyant publicity.

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CATAWBAnoun

Pronounced: cah-TAW-ba

Meaning: A very dark to blackish red.

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DEVOTIONSnoun singular; singular: DEVOTION

Pronounced: dee-VO-shun

Meaning: Prayers or service of worship, usually intended for private non-liturgical services.

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ENACTverb

Pronounced: in-AKT

Meaning: Make into a law, especially perform the last aspect of legislation upon a bill that gives the validity of law.

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FLOEnoun

Pronounced: FLOW

Meaning: Floating ice formed in a large sheet on the surface of the sea or other body of water.

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GOOGOLnoun

Pronounced: GOO-gull

Meaning: The figure 1 followed by 100 zeroes equal to a number that is ten to the 100th power.

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HIATUSnoun

Pronounced: high-ATE-us

Meaning: Gap; aperture.

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ICARIANadjective

Pronounced: ih-CARE-ree-in

Meaning: Inadequate for or incapable of bringing about an ambitious project.

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JOINERYnoun

Pronounced: JOY-nur-ree

Meaning: The fastening together of pieces of wood to construct furniture, cabinetry or other articles.

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KIKEPAnoun

Pronounced: kih-KAY-puh

Meaning: A sarong worn by Hawaiian women with the top under one arm and over the shoulder of the opposite arm.

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LEXICOLOGYnoun

Pronounced: lecks-sih-COL-lah-gee

Meaning: The science of the derivation and signification of words.

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MOMUSnoun

Pronounced: MO-muss

Meaning: A carping critic; fault finder.

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NIXnoun

Pronounced: NICKS

Meaning: A creature originating in German folklore, usually having the form of half-human and half-fish and usually unfriendly to humans.

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ODORANTadjective

Pronounced: OH-dough-rent

Meaning: Anything that emits a scent.

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PARANDRUSnoun

Pronounced: PEAR-ann-druss

Meaning: A mythical stag being able to change colors like the chameleon.

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QUOTIDIANadjective

Pronounced: kow-TID-dee-an

Meaning: Daily; ordinary or everyday, something that recurs daily.

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RECONSTITUTEverb

Pronounced: ree-KON-stih-tue-t

Meaning: Restore the composition of an item by adding water.

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SCRIMnoun

Pronounced: SCRIHM

Meaning: A transparent theater drop or a transparent section in a drop that appears opaque when a scene in front is lighted and transparent when a scene in the back is lighted.

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TRILOGYnoun

Pronounced: TRILL-oh-gee

Meaning: A series of three dramas, literary or musical compositions that although each is in one sense complete, have a close mutual relation and form one theme or develop aspects of one basic concept.

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UNLAURELEDadjective

Pronounced: un-LORE-alld

Meaning: Having no acclaim or reward.

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VERSICLEnoun

Pronounced: VER-sick-el

Meaning: A brief poem or set of metrical lines.

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WARBONNETnoun

Pronounced: WORE-bon-net

Meaning: An American Indian ceremonial headdress with a feathered extension down the back.

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XANADUnoun

Pronounced: ZAN-uh-doo

Meaning: A place of great beauty, luxury and contentment.

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YIN & YANGnoun

Pronounced: YIN / YANG

Meaning: Two principles: one negative, dark and feminine (YIN) and one positive, bright and masculine (YANG), whose interaction influences the destinies of creatures and things.

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ZAFTIGadjective

Pronounced: ZAFF-tig

Meaning: Having a pleasantly plump figure; juicy or succulent.

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YAKUZAnoun

Pronounced: YAH-koo-zah

Meaning: Any of various tightly-knit crime syndicates of Japan; a gangster.

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ZYDECOnoun

Pronounced: ZI-deck-ko

Meaning: A blues-influenced type of Cajun dance music popular in Louisiana and Texas, usually played on accordion, guitar and violin.

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ARRANTadjective

Pronounced: AIR-rent

Meaning: Thorough; unmitigated; wandering.

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BEATIFYverb

Pronounced: bee-AT-tih-fye

Meaning: To make blissfully happy.

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CADGEverb

Pronounced: CADJ

Meaning: To obtain by begging or imposing on another's generosity.

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DECORUMnoun

Pronounced: deh-CORE-rum

Meaning: Dignified propriety of conduct, manners or appearance.

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EQUIVOCATEverb

Pronounced: ee-KWI-voh-kate

Meaning: To use ambiguous or unclear expressions.

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FELICITOUSadjective

Pronounced: fuh-LIH-sit-tuss

Meaning: Well-suited for the occasion; Having a special ability for suitable manner or expression, as a person; enjoyable; pleasant.